Have you added your name yet?

Oh, it's easy to be cynical, but Geldof is right, you know. Individuals giving money, even nations giving aid, isn't going to solve the problem. It is, as my good friend C. puts it, "more money going down the same black holes".

Go to the website. Read the plan, which includes debt forgiveness for developing countries, more aid and a refocusing of it on education and basic health care (and more 'one village at a time' microprojects), and a reformation of trade laws that currently ensure developing countries are never going to get a foot on the ladder.

It's not as if what we've been doing so far has worked so very brilliantly, now, is it?

And the only way these changes are going to happen is if the G8 makes it happen. And the only way THAT is going to happen is if enough political pressure is brought to bear on G8 leaders by their citizens that they believe they must make it happen, or face political defeat. That is the only thing that motivates these people, folks.

And if it takes a bunch of rock concerts to focus attention on the issue, fine.

Oddest single moment so far from the Canadian concert in Barrie, Ontario (not Toronto, as AOL has labeled it in their live webcast): Elliot Easton (The Cars) and Joey Kraemer and Tom Hamilton (Aerosmith) jamming with DMC on "Walk This Way". Which of course reminded me of Aerosmith and Run-DMC's version from nineteen-eighty-something. Jeeze, what a breakthrough in the rap/rocker culture wars that was. Those guys shoulda all gotten Nobel Peace Prizes for that collaboration. :)

Favourite personal moments from the Canadian concert: Jet performing "Are you gonna be my girl?" - best new rock band in some years - and, of course, my own boyz, the Barenaked Ladies. Kings of dork rock, and kings of my heart.

Actually, the only time this sentimental old fool teared up today was when the Barenaked Ladies said Jim Creeggan was taking footage of the concert to take back to a school in Tanzania he's been working with (you can read more about it here), and got the crowd to shout-out to the kids:

"Say 'Hi Kids'!

"Hi Kids!"

"'Hi, Kids!'"

"HI, KIDS!"

"'We love you!'"

"We love you!"

"'We're trying!'"

"We're trying!"

"'We're trying!'"

"We're trying!"

Days like this I am very grateful for my hearing.

Anyway, even if you are a cynic, take the time to educate yourself about the whole "make poverty history" campaign. It's a lot more than Live 8, and it incorporates some ideas worth, well, putting your name behind. Consider adding yours. I am also going to write a letter to Prime Minister Martin. Just let him know one more voter wants him, and Canada to be a leader in this. We gave the world UN Peacekeepers. We gave the world Médecins sans Frontières. We can help give the world this.

At least, we're trying.

ronnie